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The honest answer is nope. There is no accurate way whatsoever to tell if someone is a Christian.

Why? Because only God knows our hearts.

Some may say- yes! By looking at the fruits of the spirit and how they act etc...my response to them are, well there are also a lot of good actors in the world who can act all day long that they are good christian people but they themselves deny Christ in private.

YET you can have the people who are rough and act all tough but be the most genuine Christian people you will ever meet.

The kingdom of God is just like any other kingdom. It must be fought for. - Thomas Becket

I don't want to save people. That's not my job. My job is to feed them.

A: "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

Q: A Christian is not immune to mistakes, misinterpretations and deceit.

A: I will keep looking to find scripture which speaks to this directly...

Q: -A Christian is always able (has the capacity) to distinguish right from wrong?

A: See above. My feeling is that I keep messing up, but when I do, it's my fault. I'm thinking of the verses about deception of "even the elect, if that were possible..." Which implies both impossibility, but also severe deceptions being hammered on people.

Q:-A Christian does not have to lead a sinless life.

A: A Christian absolutely has to TRY to lead a sinless life. If we "make the grace of God into licentiousness" then we're not following Jesus.

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

"With Man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

In other words, we have to be as righteous as Christ to get into heaven... and we just can't do it. Fortunately, He gives us a way to enter into the kingdom of heaven... we have to enter through HIM, and cling to Him as our righteousness and hope.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Q: -A Christian is known by his/her fruits.

A:-Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Q: -A Christian will not Always act in a Christlike way

A:-But they will repent, and return to the right way. Example, Peter, when he stopped eating with Gentile believers in Christ, even after his vision on the roof top. God sent him Paul, to rebuke him, and Peter repented, and returned to his first works.

Read all of Hebrews Twelve for this, but specially verses four till eleven.

Q: -A Christian can learn more about God, Christianity and Life, Knowledge of these things is not instantly bestowed on a Christian.

That seems to be common sense, but can't think of a Bible verse immediately which speaks to it.

Q:-A Christian can be wrong on doctrine and still be a Christian*As you say below, obviously depending on the doctrine. Jesus is the Son of God. As He says, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."

Q:-A Christian has a personal relationship with God, unique to every individual.

A: - God formed each individual in their mother's womb, counts the hair of their heads, and before they were born their every day was numbered. Christians are written in the book of life. Lots of Scriptures to support this.

Q:-A Christian communicates with God, but there is no standard method for how this may this will occur.

A: No standard method, (just look at the variety of ways in which prophecies and dreams occur in the Bible) but only one way. Even Jacob, when he dreamt of the ladder, with angels travelling up and down it, was in fact dreaming of Jesus. He says at His trial, "you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man"

Q:-Blasphemy is the only unforgivable sin.

A:- More precisely, "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit." Jesus says that "whosoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, that can be forgiven Him, but whosever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, that shall not be forgiven Him, either in this world, or the world to come."

Okay... apologies for the KJV speak, if it's not what you're used to. It's what I find easiest to remember. Apologies also if the quotes aren't perfect.

Here's hoping some others will come and offer other scriptural evidences on this thread, so we can all learn.

These are some of the things I've gathered to let you in on my thinking.

-A Christian is a follower of Christ.

-A Christian is not immune to mistakes, misinterpretations and deceit.

-A Christian is always able (has the capacity) to distinguish right from wrong?

-A Christian does not have to lead a sinless life.

-A Christian is known by his/her fruits.

-A Christian will not Always act in a Christlike way

-A Christian can learn more about God, Christianity and Life, Knowledge of these things is not instantly bestowed on a Christian.

-A Christian can be wrong on doctrine and still be a Christian*

-A Christian has a personal relationship with God, unique to every individual.

-A Christian communicates with God, but there is no standard method for how this may this will occur.

-Blasphemy is the only unforgivable sin.

*barring that Christ is God and savior, and that he died for our sins and you gotta repent.

-Alex Murphy II

1. Who is Alex Murphy ?
2. A mere man cannot define who is a christian and who is not.

MATT 16
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

There is a way to know if someone is a Christian. Jesus told us what that was...

John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
NKJV

The honest answer is nope. There is no accurate way whatsoever to tell if someone is a Christian.

Why? Because only God knows our hearts.

Some may say- yes! By looking at the fruits of the spirit and how they act etc...my response to them are, well there are also a lot of good actors in the world who can act all day long that they are good christian people but they themselves deny Christ in private.

YET you can have the people who are rough and act all tough but be the most genuine Christian people you will ever meet.

Okay... apologies for the KJV speak, if it's not what you're used to. It's what I find easiest to remember. Apologies also if the quotes aren't perfect.

Here's hoping some others will come and offer other scriptural evidences on this thread, so we can all learn.

Like I said above... good question!

Thanks for addressing each one of those statements daughter. Those are some things that I've gathered throughout my time here and felt pretty confident that they were scripturally sound...but I look forward to your findings on the contentious statements, sure to be good stuff.

1. Who is Alex Murphy ?
2. A mere man cannot define who is a christian and who is not.

MATT 16
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

C'mon, Alex Murphy is Robocop, and as everyone knows Robocop II was an allegory that explored deep seated questions of humanity, moral absolutism vs moral relativism and identity, Its a thinking man's movie.

There is a way to know if someone is a Christian. Jesus told us what that was...

John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
NKJV

thanks tanya, what does it mean to love another as Jesus loved us? I mean what does that entail?

thanks tanya, what does it mean to love another as Jesus loved us? I mean what does that entail?

Jesus put it like this:

Matt 7:12
12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
NKJV

It means treat others the same way you would want them to treat you, otherwise known as the Golden Rule.

Paul wrote:

Rom 13:10
10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
NKJV

And this:

Col 3:12-14
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
NKJV

In another place he describes the characteristics of love in more detail:

1 Cor 13:4-8
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails.
NKJV

Love truly never fails. Whenever one is acting in love, there is no failure in that at all. Christians can sometimes fail in how well we love one another and when we do, we forgive one another and press forward, seeking to grow in our love for one another.

An outsider looking in can see that the Christians, even though we are imperfect and at different places in our growth and understanding, have love for one another.